A Beautiful Life
by Firefrost
Summary: COMPLETE: AC 208: Young Margaret Cassandra Winner is about to get a baby brother - or is she? Can her stubborn, hopeless, grown-up parents deal with tragedy like her, and see that life is beautiful? Pairings: 4xRx4, 2xHx2, 1xCx1 R&R please.


A Beautiful Life  
  
By: Gillian C. Taylor  
  
Disclaimer: As much as I (and I'm sure many of you, as well) would like to own Gundam Wing, I do not. I am merely borrowing those brilliant characters to use for my own sappy/sadistic (take your pick) purposes. However, the storyline is my idea.  
  
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NOTES:* * * * * signifies a change in character perspective (point of view)  
  
Double spaces signify a passing of time, but with the same character perspective.  
  
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Through the sweet afternoon sunshine of AC 208, a sharp cry rings out through the garden of a luxurious estate on the L4 space colony:  
  
"Ow!" a small voice cries, "Daddy, daddy!"  
  
I stand from the table, placing my tea cup down, and sprint through the garden until I am standing beside my six-year-old child.  
  
"What's the matter, Maggie?" I ask, kneeling beside her.  
  
She lifted her hand, tears in her eyes. The palm is bleeding, a tiny stream of red dripping down to her wrist from a little thorn-plugged gouge in the centre of her hand.  
  
"It hurts, Daddy!" she whimpers.  
  
"Well," I reply, wiping the blood away with my handkerchief, "That's what happens when you play near the roses and aren't careful. Let that be a lesson to you."  
  
Maggie doesn't reply, but sits pouting until I'm finished wiping.  
  
I smile at her after examining the tiny hand in mine, "Let's go in and get that thorn out."  
  
She eyes me, and then smiles as I tickle her ribs with my other hand.  
  
"Daddy, don't!" she giggles, standing.  
  
We head for the house, and I open the door, "Inside, little princess."  
  
She looks up at me with her sparkling blue eyes as we pass though a wide, decorated hallway, "If I'm a princess, than that makes you a king, Daddy!"  
  
I laugh. As we near one of the downstairs bathrooms, I tell her to sit on one of the side chairs in the hallway. I enter the bathroom and rummage the cabinet, and return to the hall with a set of tweezers.  
  
Maggie squirms in the chair as she sees them in my hand. I approach and kneel in front of her, and apply the tweezers to yank out the cursed thing from her pretty palm. Her little yelp reverberates through my brain: it hurts me to hurt her – even to help her.  
  
I discard the thorn and fetch a washcloth to dab and clean her gouged hand.   
  
"There," I coo as I embrace her, "All better."  
  
She did well. My pretty girl did well. Her hair wisps around her shoulders, and the faint smell of flower shampoo still lingers in the platinum swirls that cascade to those shoulders.  
  
She looks at me – no, passed me – with excitement as we desist the hug, "Nana!"  
  
I turn. Standing there is Maggie's nursemaid: tall, stout, and strong.  
  
"Good afternoon, Dorothy," I smile, and stand.  
  
"Good afternoon, Mr. Winner," she replies, "Miss Relena sent me to find you. She is on her way to the hospital now."  
  
"What?" I reply, not really needing clarification. I grab Maggie's good hand and speed down the hall, Dorothy in hot pursuit.  
  
I help Maggie and Dorothy into the limo waiting out in front of the mansion and then load myself in. Moments later, Abdul is driving us (as fast as he lawfully can) to the hospital.  
  
"Daddy," Maggie asks, realization cluing her in to the situation, "is Darin going to be here soon?"  
  
"Yes, Maggie," I reply, looking at Dorothy, "Very soon."  
  
My heart is beating so fast in me that I feel light-headed, and scarcely hear Maggie giggle with delight.  
  
"Oh, goodie! I'm tired of waiting!"  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
This trip is taking too long... It's boring just staring out the window of the limo.  
  
I look up at Nana. She looks tense – no good. Maybe Daddy–! No, he looks nervous. What's got everybody acting so weird? Getting a little brother is going to be fun! Why are they worried about it?  
  
Daddy looks so nervous! I wasn't nearly as bad when Ashley Williams dared me to eat a grasshopper last week! Then again, Mommy and Daddy and Nana weren't too happy about me doing it and being sent home... I still remember the horrible soap Mommy made me use! Yuck!  
  
I slip my hand into Daddy's, "Don't worry, Daddy! Princess Maggie will make sure nothing bad happens to Mommy or baby Darin!"  
  
He smiles, and smooths my hair, but I don't think he believes me. He's so stubborn, "No, really, Daddy! I will!"  
  
"I'm sure you will, sweetheart." he replies. It doesn't sound at all convincing to me – like he's numb or something.  
  
I give up! Grown-ups are hopeless! I'll never understand them and their moods! I'm nowhere near as temperamental as they are! They get upset at the littlest things!   
  
Without Daddy or Nana noticing, I stick out my tongue momentarily.   
  
Hopeless, I say, completely hopeless!  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
God, this hurts so much! I can barely breathe! Stupid doctors, I want my goddamned epidural!  
  
I close my eyes and try to imagine the calm ocean, but I'm jolted back to reality by another contraction.   
  
Fuck the ocean, this hurts!!  
  
There's a nurse plugging in my IV, and a doctor checking my progress. Seven centimeters, they said! Hah! I'd like to see them try to say it so calmly in a reverse situation! At least they've got my pain relief on the way now.  
  
As I focus on my breathing, I notice a head pop into the door. Not Quatre, not Maggie, not Dorothy. Who is it?  
  
"It's all right, you can come in," I say, smiling in the absence of a contraction.  
  
A little boy enters. He's no more then, I'd say, four years old. He's got a beaming smile framed by pudgy, round cheeks; with cobalt eyes; and brown-black hair.  
  
"Hi," the boy says sheepishly.  
  
"Hello," I reply, "I'm Relena, who are you?"  
  
His grin widens, "I'm Nicholas. Are you going to have a baby, too?"  
  
"Yes, today, probably," I smile, but it soon fades to the pain of labour... again. Moments later, it has passed, and I continue, "Is you're Mommy having a baby soon?"  
  
"Uh-huh!" Nicholas nods enthusiastically, "My little sister, Theo, isn't gonna show up for a little while longer, but Daddy says we're here to check-up on her."  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
A new voice comes drifting outside the door, "There you are, Nicholas! You shouldn't wander off like that! You could get lost!"  
  
Something familiar about it. I recognize it from somewhere... but where?!  
  
"Now, who were you bugging this time, N-man?" the voice says, obviously Nicholas's father. He pokes his head into the room, and we both stare, jaws agape.  
  
He is tall, dressed in black. His brown hair ties down into a long braid that goes to his waist. His eyes match Nicholas's.  
  
My shock subsides quicker than his. I smile, "Hello, Duo."  
  
* * * * *   
  
I yawn as the limo pulls up to the hospital – finally! Daddy pulls me out with him, and Nana follows. We head up the stairs, and enter the building. We follow the boards on the walls to the... 'Ma..tern..ity ward,' whatever that means! At the desk in the hall, Daddy asks for Mommy, and we head to the room the lady pointed to.   
  
I let go of Daddy's hand and run along the long hall into the room. I stop dead in my tracks, putting my hands on my hips. There's a strange, brown-haired man talking to my Mommy!   
  
"Who are you?!" I cry, tapping my foot on the floor, my lip sticking out. I wait for him to answer.  
  
"Ah," he grins, "You're Maggie!"  
  
"Yes, I am," I reply hotly, "And again, who are you?!"  
  
The man turns to Mommy and laughs, "My, she's a fiery one, isn't she! I can't tell if she's hotty-mad or haughty-proud!"  
  
Then Mommy laughs and shrugs, just as Daddy and Nana come up behind me.  
  
"I don't know what you mean, but I'm gonna find out, and if it's mean, I'm gonna... um, I'm gonna...," I trail off, not knowing how to finish, "Well, I'll be really mad, anyway!" I finish, frustrated.  
  
The man laughs again. Then, I notice Daddy goes forward and hugs Mommy.   
  
"Glad to see you could make it, Quatre!" She giggles.   
  
"Glad to be here," he replies softly.  
  
Then, Daddy goes and hugs the man who just laughed at me, and turns to me and smiles.  
  
"Maggie, this is Duo Maxwell. He's an old friend Mommy and me. He won't hurt you–!"  
  
"Or Mommy or Darin?!" I spurt, eyeing Duo warily.  
  
"No, no!" Mommy laughs, "He's no danger to me or Darin, sweetheart!" She pauses, "But, thank you for your concern, princess!"  
  
I smile then, and bound over to Mommy and stand on the chair beside the bed. I kiss her cheek and hug her. Then, I notice the needle in her arm.  
  
"Ah!" I cry, and fall off the chair onto my bottom, "A-A needle!"  
  
Daddy laughs, and explains to the man that I'm afraid of needles. The man chuckles, and crouches down in front of me before I can stand up.  
  
"You know," he grins, "I was afraid of needles, too!" He winks, "And I think you're Dad used to be, too!"  
  
I pout at him, "Uh-uh! My Daddy's not scared of anything!"   
  
"Not anymore, maybe!" he laughs, and stands up.  
  
Suddenly, I notice a boy hiding behind the man. Daddy notices and points it out.  
  
The friend-stranger, Duo, looks down at his pant leg, that the boy is hiding behind, "Oh, this is Nicholas, my son. He doesn't like needles either." He turns to Mommy and Daddy and Nana, "You should have seen him last time Hilde and I tried to take him to the doctor to get a flu shot! He almost bolted up the wall onto the curtain rods!"  
  
Nicholas looks up at his daddy. He looks scared, "Needles hurt, Daddy."  
  
"Yeah!" I reply quickly, thinking of my last needle, "But, afterwards, you get a lollipop!"  
  
Nicholas looks at me jealously, "Lucky! My doctor gives me a toothbrush!"  
  
I laugh, "Isn't that dentists?"  
  
He shrugs, "I don't know. What's a dentist?"  
  
I smile, "The guy who tells you 'Open your mouth wide! A little wider!' and then looks in your mouth at your teeth and tongue and gums!"  
  
"Ew! That's gross!"  
  
Daddy and Nicholas's daddy smile, about to reply when a woman with shoulder length black hair and wandering eyes steps into the doorway. She's very big – almost as big as Mommy!  
  
Nicholas runs over to her and hugs her, "Mommy!"  
  
"Oh," she says, smiling, and looks up at Nicholas's daddy, "This is where you've been."  
  
"Sorry, Hilde," Nicholas's daddy replies, "Nick and I lost track of time."  
  
"So I see...," she nods, and approaches Daddy and Mommy, smiling widely as she hugs them, "Good to see you, Quatre! My, Relena, are you due soon?"  
  
Nicholas rushes forward and tugs at his mommy's hand, "She's gonna have a baby boy today!"  
  
"Today?!" his mommy copied, "My, Relena, that's wonderful! And to think, Duo and I weren't sure if we'd come to L4 for a vacation or not! I'm glad we did! Our flight back to L2 doesn't leave until 2 weeks this Friday!"  
  
"That's wonderful!" Mommy smiles, "But, won't that be a little close to your due date? They won't let you fly when you're pregnant. I should know! I had to postpone all my business trips for the last seven months!"  
  
Nicholas's daddy laughs. He sure likes doing that... and grinning, "Wufei brought us to L4 by Preventer space shuttle – nothing safer than that for a pregnant woman! Besides, Hilde's due a week this Sunday. She'll be over it long before our flight home."  
  
The woman glares at him, "You make it sound like I push and then immediately spring up from the bed with a new baby!"  
  
Daddy laughs, "And you've had a child already, Duo?! You should know it takes the mother time to heal–!"  
  
"Indeed, it does!" Mommy cuts in, staring at Daddy in a funny way. Daddy's cheeks turn pinky. He looks so cute like that! Pink is my most favourite colour, after blue and red and green, of course!  
  
Ten more minutes pass, and I'm silent... I think I know why grown-ups say they're so tired all the time. They talk too much! Blah blah blah! That's all they do! It's boring!   
  
I shrug my shoulders and give up on trying to understand the grown-up talk. I head over to a chair by the door. The clock on the wall says it's early in the evening. Now I'm tired, and I'm not a grown-up!   
  
Across the room, on another chair, Nicholas is asleep. That sounds good. I yawn silently, and tucker down, folding my arms and bringing my legs up onto the chair. My eyelids are heavy, and as my eyes close, I see my hand. A tiny piece of skin is gouged out – where Daddy pulled the thorn...  
  
  
  
* * * * *   
  
"I didn't expect to meet Quatre and Relena here," I say, energetic as always.  
  
"Neither did I, but it's a very nice surprise," Hilde replies. She's sitting right beside me, watching Nick sleep in the chair between us.  
  
"I wonder when Relena will be done," Hilde continues, playing with Nick's hair.  
  
I glance down to my right, where Quatre's girl is asleep, like my boy, on the chair beside me. Then, I look at the delivery room door ahead of the four of us. We'd all been moved to the delivery area to wait from Relena's baby. But, Dorothy's disappeared somewhere.  
  
I chuckle, "When the screaming and cussing subsides, I should think! Poor Quatre! In there all by his lonesome, taking it as it comes!"  
  
Hilde glares at me, and slaps the back of my head lightly, "Oh, shut up! It's painful to deliver, even with medicine. I'd like to see you try it!"  
  
Grinning, I throw my arms along the back rims of the seats, "Sorry, Honeybunch, not my department!"  
  
A minute passes, and I can hear a high-pitched scream. But, it's not like the ones before: from the delivery room ahead. It's somewhere around me. I look around, and find Maggie sitting upright, facing away from me. She is completely still. A moment ago, she had been curled up sleeping.  
  
"Maggie, are you all right?" I ask, touching her shoulder. She doesn't answer.  
  
Hilde and I look at each other, but are jogged from our silent council by a choked sob to my right. We both look at Maggie – or rather, Maggie's back.  
  
"Maggie," Hilde whispers, walking passed me and kneeling beside the girl. Hilde turns her to face the delivery room. We see the tears on her face, the horror in her eyes, and the trembling of her lips as she stares through Hilde, like she's not there. "Maggie, what is it...?"  
  
Hilde embraces Maggie: staring blankly, though her arms encircle Hilde's neck. Her head tilts onto Hilde's shoulder, and words escape her trembling lips as she cries uncontrollably:  
  
"Brother...? It hurts, Daddy, it hurts!!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
I can feel the tears running down my face. I feel hot, as though I'll fall down, but I don't care. I don't feel myself fall to my knees, desperately clinging to Relena's hand with both of mine! I hear her sobs, too! She cries with me!   
  
Maggie...! What will she feel? How will we survive this! I drag myself to my feet, still clinging to my beloved's hand fiercely. I look into her eyes, filled with overflowing tears.  
  
"Quatre...!" she cries, and I kiss her gently, our lips tremble.  
  
"Hush...," I reply quietly, stifling a sob, "Sleep, beloved... There is nothing we can do..!" Relena closes her eyes after a while, and I look over at the doctor and nurses, cleaning the beautiful form of Darin. He is beautiful. Even in death...  
  
Through hollow ears I hear the apologies of the staff. Though given for consolation, they offer me none, but I bless the doctors for trying. Now, all that matters is my sleeping wife, and my sweet Maggie.  
  
Just beyond that door, she is waiting. Waiting for a brother she cannot have... Dear daughter, I'm coming! I hear you crying. You are not alone.  
  
I open the door and swiftly close it, and walk across the way to where Hilde is holding my girl. Just as swiftly, I take her from Hilde, and sit down with her in my lap a few seats away from Duo and his family. Her face is buried in my shoulder.  
  
"We cry together...," I whisper in her ear.  
  
She does not move, but whispers back to me, "... We suffer together..."  
  
  
  
It takes us – my girl and me – hours to stop crying, stop suffering. From the corner of my eye, I can see Hilde crying on Duo's shoulder. Duo's son still sleeps peacefully, and Duo watches us with heartfelt, sorrowful eyes.  
  
Finally, Maggie whispers again, "I-Is Mommy all right...?"  
  
I close my eyes and caress her soft hair, "No... But, she will be..."  
  
"Daddy... I want to go home...!" her voice is soft, but urgent.  
  
"We'll go, sweetheart... Yes, we'll go..."  
  
I stand, cradling my girl in my arms as I walk to Duo and Hilde. Their eyes follow us as I make my way to them.  
  
"Duo, Hilde, will you do me a great favour?"  
  
Duo nods silently, and Hilde stifles a sob.  
  
I pull out keys from my pocket, and hand them to Duo, "Please, take Maggie home. Stay there the night... I don't want her to be lonely. I'll come back with Relena as soon as I can. Do you know the address?"  
  
Hilde nods, her voice is rough, "Yes.. I have it in my wallet."  
  
"Shouldn't Dorothy be doing this...? I mean, she is closer to you... She's also Maggie's Nana. Where's she gone, anyway?" Duo asks.  
  
I shake my head, "I asked her to fill in for me at a meeting tonight. I needed her there. Besides, I trust you and Hilde."  
  
Duo stands, and I slowly hand a sleepy Maggie over to him. He eyes me as the exchange is done: he gets my home and daughter, I get a night to grieve without worry for their welfare.  
  
"Don't do anything stupid, Quatre. This little girl needs Relena and you," he says.  
  
"I know."  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
I watch Quatre as the doctors take Relena on her bed to a overnight watch room. He pursues her, and they disappear around a corner.  
  
I glance over at Hilde. She is already rousing Nick from his sleep. Unfortunately, she's pregnant, and my arms are full with Maggie, so he'll have to hobble along holding Hilde's hand as best he can.  
  
We go through the halls silently, save Maggie's occasional sleep-sighs. The garage behind the building is empty, save our minivan.   
  
I skillfully unlock it with one hand, and patiently wait until Nick is in, and Hilde has strapped him into his car seat. Then, I lower Maggie in, and pull the seatbelt into place until it clicks! I help Hilde climb into the passenger seat, and then I get in the driver's seat. The ignition starts, the normally comical ding! ding! ding! of the system chimes, and we roll down the road.  
  
It doesn't take too long to find Quatre's house. We've been there before, and with some expert guidance help from Hilde, we are there. Obviously, Quatre phoned ahead to let security know we were coming: the gates open as we roll up to them. An officer salutes me, and I return the gesture solemnly.  
  
I park out front so when Quatre and Relena come home, they know we made it safely. We unload in the opposite manner in which we loaded. Maggie is slightly awake, and insists on holding her own and walking, so I take Nick this time. I click my car remote. The locks beep!, and we head up the steps to the front door.  
  
I fiddle with the keys, testing them individually, and finally find the right one. We enter, and lock the door behind us.  
  
Maggie immediately pulls off her shoes and stumbles down the front hall to a massive marble staircase leading up. We follow her example, taking off our shoes, and head up behind her. As we get up into a long, wide hallway with many rooms, she points out some of the many guest rooms.  
  
"They are always ready for visitors. My room is the fourth door on the left down there," she points, her voice is parched and dry, and her eyes puffy, "If you need anything, the officers make rounds. They'll help you. And Nana should be home soon."   
  
Hilde looks at her, "Maybe you should get a drink. You're parched."  
  
Maggie looks at her, "I'll get some water in my bathroom before I go to bed. Besides, I have to pray..." She looks at her feet, "Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight, Maggie," Hilde replies softly, sadly.  
  
We watch her enter her room and close the door. A minute later, a grumpy Nick compels us to choose rooms and attempt sleep, too. Good night? Not by a long shot!   
  
* * * * *  
  
I kneel before my window, my bed lamp the only light in my room. In my blue and red pajamas, I pray:  
  
"...May the dear brother I never knew be happy with you, Allah, and may he shine like a jewel in Your crown! I pray that you take care of him, and love him, as I and my Mommy and Daddy would have had you not chosen to take him for Your Great Purpose.   
  
"Please watch over Mommy, Daddy, Nana, Duo, Hilde, Nicholas, and all the rest! For them, I ask for happiness and peace. For myself, I ask nothing. Life is divine, and I am at peace now... Though the loss suffered today is great, I accept... and hope that all will end well, according to Your Will! Praise you, Allah!"  
  
I stand, walk a few meters, and crawl into my large bed. I reach over and click off the light, and let sleep drape over me until I can see nothing but dreams... dreams of my beloved, mysterious brother, Darin...  
  
* * * * *  
  
The morning of Thursday, July 7 is happy and bright. Too happy. I sit up in the bed and look beside me. There he is: my dearest Quatre sleeps as though nothing was wrong... For that, my heart rejoices. But, what will happen when he awakes? And Maggie? I haven't seen my daughter once through this wreck of my emotions! She and everyone else was asleep by the time Quatre and I got home.  
  
I stand, refusing to interrupt my husband's peaceful rest. I make my way out of the room, spotting the time as I close the door: 8:03 a.m. Just enough time to get ready for another day of work...  
  
Gliding down the hallway, I stop at Maggie's bedroom, and silently go in, closing the door behind me. She is sleeping, like Quatre. She's sprawled all over the deep oak canopy bed and is cooing like a baby! Like a baby—! No, don't go there, Relena! No!  
  
I approach the bed, and sit on the edge. As I sit, I can't help but think that she is beautiful. My daughter is beautiful...! I brush my hand over her cheek, and she stirs. I hold my breath.  
  
Her eyelids gently glide open, and the blue awaiting me within those pools is such that I find myself spellbound and speechless! She looks at me quietly, softly, her eyes not yet blinking away the sleep dust.  
  
"G'morning, Mommy...," she sighs as I run my fingers through her hair.  
  
"Good morning, sweetheart...," I whisper back, leaning down and embracing her gently.  
  
She smiles sweetly, half asleep, "I'm tired..."  
  
"I know, baby," I reply, kissing the fingers of her left hand, "Me, too!"  
  
"Then, sleep, Mommy...," she pulls back her blue satin blankets, "Sleep with me.."  
  
I close my eyes and nuzzle her nose before climbing in with her, and drawing my child close to me, my head on the white, lacy pillows, as I try to forget...   
  
  
  
I don't know how long I slept, but it wasn't long enough. When I woke for the second time that morning, Maggie was beside me, watching me with placid eyes as she lay on her left side. I smile and kiss her cheek.  
  
"Did you sleep well, Mommy?" she asks.  
  
"Better than expected," I reply, nuzzling into the pillows more. They are warm and fluffy.  
  
She stares a moment longer, then twists to look at the clock on the side table behind her. She yawns and stretches out her limbs under the covers.  
  
"Nana says it's time to get up!" she complains, and I glance at her clock to see the time.  
  
8:57 a.m. Yes, it's quite time to get up. Poor Maggie – has to wake up at nine! Poor Relena – should have woken and stayed that way at eight!  
  
We both push back the covers and stand. Maggie walks around her side of the bed and hugs my waist. She says good morning again, then turns and walks out the door to go get breakfast. I smile: she's still in her pajamas. The blue silk tanktop with a red bow, and red silk sleep-shorts. It's simple, but sweet: just right for her!  
  
I exit the room, closing the door, and make my way back to the master bedroom to change for breakfast. I hear her feet padding through the hall to the stairs, and the tread fills me with the memory of feet that will not pad along these, nor any other halls...  
  
* * * * *  
  
I force a laugh, though it doesn't match my mood, "Heero, Duo's braid isn't going to poison Skyler!"  
  
My friend stares at me as he pulls Duo's hair out of his son's mouth, "Hn."  
  
Behind Heero, Catherine giggles, and takes Skyler from Duo, "Dearest, you're son is strong because you are. He won't get sick!"  
  
Heero looks up at his wife emotionlessly, "But, he may start liking Duo."  
  
"Hey, what's wrong with that?!" Duo chuckles, wiping the babe's slobber from the end of his braid with a napkin.  
  
There is no time to answer. The sound of feet pounding down the main hall is heard. A moment later, Maggie, in her pajamas, comes speeding by the archway that bridges the livingroom and hall.  
  
She stops dead in her tracks, her socks sliding along the hall tiles a few inches before her momentum is lost, "Uncle Heero! Auntie Catherine!" Her eyes spot a silent figure on one of the couches, "Uncle Trowa!!"  
  
Hilde, who is sitting in a chair, beams at Maggie, "Good morning, Maggie!"  
  
It's curious why we are all being so positive, so soon. No, it's not... Tragedy demands a strong face. No use in dragging a child back into depression and sorrow if she has already accepted. But Relena and I – we cannot accept... not yet.   
  
Silently, I thank everyone for being so cheerful. Maggie doesn't deserve to suffer. She seems fine now, though. I wonder why...  
  
Maggie rushes across the large livingroom, and hugs each person in passing, on her way to me. When she reaches me, she stands silent a moment, then:  
  
"I walked up to my room by myself last night, Daddy!" she grins.  
  
"Did you really? My, how strong you are!" I coo to her.  
  
"Uh-huh!" she giggles, then looks at me with kind eyes, "... Last night I prayed."  
  
I suppose to the others, this has little baring. To pray is common, right? But, Maggie has never been told to pray unless she wants to pray. She is a good girl, and, until now, has had no need to pray to Allah. I suppose she wanted resolution... My, she is wonderful.  
  
"You are gracious to forgive and forget Darin's death so soon...," I say weakly, my fingers under her chin.  
  
She pushes away from me a little, and gasps, "Oh, no, Daddy! Never forget!" she looks amazed, "Not ever! I forgive because Darin must be more useful to Allah there then here. There, he'll be happy! But, I keep him in my heart! I'll never forget him, even if we never got the chance to meet! Besides, we'll see him again, eventually."  
  
"Words of wisdom are rare, and often come from unexpected places," Comes Relena's soft voice. She is standing in the archway in a white tanktop partially covered by a flannel on top, and blue jeans. She forces a smile as she leans against the wall.   
  
I smile back. It will take time, and patience, to heal our hearts. Both Relena and I know. But, our friends are with us: they will help us through, and have all promised to stay with us until we are ready to forgive... They are beautiful.   
  
It takes a month to fully accept our son's death, but Relena and I hold true to each other, and give each other the will to press on... She is beautiful.  
  
Maggie was so excited when Hilde and Duo's daughter, Theo, arrived. She spent all the time she could hugging and kissing and holding her... She will be a wonderful mother – but not for a long time yet! ... She is beautiful, too.  
  
* * * * *   
  
It's so nice my new Auntie Hilde and Uncle Duo let me hug Theo! It's late August, and everyone is in our livingroom (including Mommy and Daddy and Nana) and they're all staring at me! I don't think they trust me to hold a baby! Well, I'll show them!   
  
They all fought hard to forgive, and I'm proud, especially of Mommy and Daddy! It took a while, but they've finally come to see it my way! They're beautiful, even if they are stubborn, hopeless grown-ups!  
  
Maybe, if I'm gentle and nice enough with Theo, Allah will see I'm a good girl and he'll send me a new baby brother or sister! I think Darin would like that. I sure would! This is exciting! So many things to look forward to!! What a beautiful life!  
  
THE END 


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